NDP: Scott Moe’s Throne Speech a deflection from 4th wave failures

REGINA - Today, the Sask. Party government delivered a Throne Speech that largely ignored the devastating damage caused by Premier Scott Moe’s refusal to listen to the recommendations of this government’s Chief Medical Health Officer, the Saskatchewan Health Authority and every single public health officer in the province.

“What we need from this government is an immediate plan of action to address the crisis Scott Moe created. Anything less is a choice to put politics ahead of the health and safety of the people of Saskatchewan,” said Ryan Meili, Leader of the Official Opposition. “This is a government living with their heads in the sand. The speech references investments in health care without acknowledging no one can currently access the treatments mentioned. Thousands of surgeries, treatments, transplants and therapies have been cancelled and Scott Moe still refuses to accept responsibility for his role in causing it.”

Meili noted that the Sask. Party’s Throne Speech announced no new support for small businesses and families struggling to make ends meet through the 4th wave, mentions no new investments to tackle the massive growth in waitlists for surgeries, diagnostics and other treatments, and barely references the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Throne Speech also fails to reflect current realities in the province:

Saskatchewan currently has the highest death rate among all provinces in Canada.
827 Saskatchewan people have died.
Our health system has been forced to medevac 19 ICU patients out of province.
Cancer, brain and heart surgeries are being cancelled, and organ transplants and pediatric therapies have been suspended indefinitely as a result of the 4th wave of the COVID-19.

“Premier Moe is trying to change the channel on his failures. We all want to focus on the future -- that starts with getting the present right. If Scott Moe doesn’t get the 4th wave under control, too many Saskatchewan people who will no longer be with us to participate in that future,” said Meili. “He needs to explain why he ignored the modelling he saw in June that predicted this scenario. He needs to explain why he is still ignoring medical advice, and lay out a clear plan on how he will bring our health system back from the brink of collapse. Saskatchewan people deserve so much more than this alternate reality from the Premier.”

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For more information please contact:

Brock Bowman

306-519-9549

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